Winter in Edinburgh is never a sunny affair but this one has been particularly dreary: rain and cold and rain and wind and rain. I tried leaving brochures round the house of Mediterranean cruises hoping the husband would whisk me away from all this damp. He didn’t. He did, however, ask “Fancy Jamie’s Italian for date night?”. Seems the message got through in the end.
We braved the cold on yet another rainy night and entering the restaurant through the Assembly Rooms on George Street (though you can also use the door on Rose Street). Stepping into the bar area through velvet curtains we felt as if we had arrived on the continent, we could be in Rome or Paris, not dreich Edinburgh. The opulence of its high corniced ceilings, pendulous chandeliers, red walls, and plush seating is casually offset by chalk boards listing the specials and a central bar with what looked like whole sides of cured meat dangling as gracefully as a pig leg can. The restaurant feels easy-going and elegant at the same time. Perfect for our tired parent’s date night.
The menu focuses on well-sourced ingredients presented with the rustic flair Jamie Oliver is famous for. We opted for the sharing plank of antipasti and a bottle of Jamie’s own label prosecco to start followed by lamb chops for me and a meatball pappardelle for the hubs. The prosecco was the nicest I have ever had with a delicate peachy-apple fruitiness I couldn’t get enough of.
After pouring our wine, the waitress then came along and placed two tins of tomatoes on our table, then walked away. We were very confused. What were they for? Did we eat them now or take them home? And where was the tin opener? A few minute later it all made sense when the wooden plank was theatrically placed on top of them. We tucked into dollops of creamy mozzarella, antipasti vegetables, ribbons of smoky Italian meats, and salty pork scratchings (which went exceedingly well with the aforementioned prosecco).
Once we had all but licked the sharing plank clean, it was taken away but the tins left in place. Turns out, my lamb chops also came on a plank along with pots of herbs, yoghurt, and pistachios to play with. I loved the combination of flavours when I added these ingredients to my chops, and it was fun too. The husband enjoyed his pasta, especially the chilli kick in the sauce, but agreed that I had made the better choice.
Stuffed and satisfied we retired to the bar area for espresso and a lemon meringue cheesecake which was a slight disappointment after such a fantastic meal, but then again, we didn’t really need pudding.
Jamie’s Italian was a pleasant surprise, more than a chain restaurant or destination venue, it suits any occasion. Plus, they have a great kids menu so next time we need some Mediterranean sunshine we won’t have to book a babysitter or a cruise.
Jamie’s Italian, Edinburgh
The Assembly Rooms
54 George Street
Edinburgh
EH2 2LR
